This invention relates to fire alarm apparatus and more particularly relates to a compact portable unit which is capable of detecting a high heat and smoke condition to sound an alarm.
As can be ascertained, fire causes the loss of life and property each and every year. In our present society, hotel and motel fires have caused excessive life loss due to the fact that proper alarms, as well as, various other reasons prevented the occupants from leaving the premises. The prior art cognizant of such problems attempted to provide a portable fire alarm systems which could be carried by a traveller or other person to provide a person with a personal warning of an alarm condition and to therefore allow the person to leave the premises.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,199,050 entitled FIRE ALARM issued on Sept. 26, 1916 to C. J. Cid. This Patent shows an alarm system which employs a temperature gauge coupled to a shaft and a rod which will energize an alarm when the temperature exceeds a pre-set value. The unit is used in a bulky box.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,556 entitled FIRE ALARM UNIT issued on June 25, 1963 to R. W. Fuller. This Patent shows a portable alarm system which uses a fusable cartridge and a siren. The unit depicted is in a unitary box-like housing and requires a replacement of the fuse once a unit is activated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,219 entitled FIRE ALARM issued to J. C. Powers on Feb. 25, 1969. This Patent depicts a portable fire alarm which can be used in a building and produces an odor and a visual indication when an alarm conditon is detected. The alarm is also housed in a bulky assembly.
Other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,256 entitled FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS issued on Aug. 4, 1973 to McDonald showing a bellows structure which can activate an alarm and is also contained in a bulky housing.
Various other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,039 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,499 show different structures relating to fire alarms and in general are bulky and unreliable devices. Such devices are not adaptable for use by a traveller due to the size of the package and the dimensions. Many of these devices suffer in that they do not adequately respond to a fire alarm condition due to the structure of the device. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable fire alarm unit, which unit is extremely compact and capable of being unfolded to place the unit in use while providing a small volume package during storage. The unit to be described is capable of responding to a heat as well as, a smoke condition to inform a user of the possibility of a fire and therefore to provide an adequate and suitable warning.